Product Overview

Summary: This SOP sets out a clear, practical framework for safely integrating renewable energy sources—such as solar PV and battery storage—into electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. It helps Australian businesses manage electrical, fire, and grid-interaction risks while improving reliability, efficiency, and WHS compliance for EV charging operations.

As electric vehicle adoption accelerates across Australia, more organisations are combining EV charging infrastructure with on-site renewable energy such as solar PV and battery energy storage systems. While this offers significant cost and sustainability benefits, it also introduces new layers of technical complexity and WHS risk, including bidirectional power flows, higher fault energy, and grid export constraints. Without a structured approach, businesses can face unsafe installations, equipment damage, inconsistent performance, and non-compliance with key Australian electrical and safety standards.

This Safe Operating Procedure provides a comprehensive, step-by-step methodology for planning, installing, commissioning, operating and maintaining EV charging stations that are integrated with renewable energy sources. It focuses on safe electrical design and operation, clear isolation and lock-out processes, coordination with network service providers, and robust emergency and incident response arrangements. By adopting this SOP, organisations can demonstrate due diligence under Australian WHS legislation, standardise practices across sites, and confidently scale their EV and renewable energy programs while protecting workers, contractors, and the public.

The procedure is designed for real-world Australian conditions, considering local grid requirements, climatic factors, and typical site constraints in workplaces such as depots, car parks, commercial buildings, and industrial facilities. It provides practical guidance that can be used for new builds as well as retrofits, ensuring that renewable energy integration supports business objectives without compromising safety, reliability, or regulatory compliance.

Key Benefits

• Ensure safe integration of solar PV, battery storage and EV chargers in line with Australian WHS and electrical standards.
• Reduce the risk of electric shock, arc flash, fire and equipment failure associated with complex multi-source power systems.
• Streamline design, installation, commissioning and maintenance activities through a consistent, documented process.
• Improve system uptime and charging reliability for staff, customers and fleet operations by clarifying roles, checks and response actions.
• Demonstrate due diligence and regulatory compliance to regulators, insurers, network service providers and corporate stakeholders.

Who is this for?

• EV Charging Station Operators
• Facilities Managers
• Electrical Engineers
• Licensed Electricians
• WHS Managers
• Sustainability and Energy Managers
• Fleet Managers
• Operations Managers
• Asset and Infrastructure Managers
• Project Managers – Renewable Energy and EV Infrastructure

Hazards Addressed

• Electric shock from exposed live parts or incorrect isolation of EV chargers, inverters and battery systems
• Arc flash and arc blast risks during switching, fault conditions or maintenance on high-current equipment
• Fire hazards arising from electrical faults, battery thermal runaway or overloaded cabling and switchgear
• Backfeed and unintended energisation from solar PV or batteries during grid outages or maintenance activities
• Overheating of cables, connectors and terminations due to sustained high charging currents
• Trip and crush hazards around charging bays, cable management systems and equipment enclosures
• Manual handling injuries when installing or replacing heavy components such as chargers, switchboards and batteries
• Exposure to hazardous gases or fumes from battery systems in poorly ventilated areas
• Vehicle–pedestrian interaction risks in charging areas, including moving plant and reversing vehicles
• Environmental hazards such as weather-related damage, water ingress and corrosion affecting electrical safety

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions and Abbreviations (EVSE, PV, BESS, DNSP, etc.)
• 3.0 Applicable Legislation, Standards and Codes of Practice
• 4.0 Roles and Responsibilities (PCBU, WHS Manager, Electrical Engineer, Electrician, Contractor, Operator)
• 5.0 System Overview – EV Charging and Renewable Energy Integration Concepts
• 6.0 Pre-Installation Planning and Risk Assessment
• 7.0 Design Requirements and Engineering Controls
• 8.0 Grid Connection, Export Limits and DNSP Coordination
• 9.0 Equipment Selection and Location Requirements
• 10.0 Installation Procedures for EV Chargers, Solar PV and Battery Systems
• 11.0 Electrical Isolation, Lock Out/Tag Out (LOTO) and Verification of De-energisation
• 12.0 Commissioning, Testing and Verification Procedures
• 13.0 Operational Procedures for Normal Charging and Renewable Energy Utilisation
• 14.0 Load Management, Demand Control and System Monitoring
• 15.0 Hazard Identification and Control Measures (Electrical, Fire, Vehicle Movement, Environmental)
• 16.0 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Tools Requirements
• 17.0 Maintenance, Inspection and Routine Testing Schedules
• 18.0 Fault Response, Incident Management and Reporting
• 19.0 Emergency Procedures (Electrical Shock, Fire, Battery Incident, Grid Failure)
• 20.0 Signage, Labelling and Site Access Control
• 21.0 Training, Competency and Induction Requirements
• 22.0 Contractor Management and Permit-to-Work Systems
• 23.0 Documentation, Recordkeeping and As-Built Information
• 24.0 Continuous Improvement, Auditing and Review of the SOP

Legislation & References

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) and equivalent state and territory WHS legislation
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 and state/territory equivalents
• AS/NZS 3000:2018 Electrical installations (Wiring Rules)
• AS/NZS 4777.1:2016 Grid connection of energy systems via inverters – Installation requirements
• AS/NZS 5033:2021 Installation and safety requirements for photovoltaic (PV) arrays
• AS/NZS 5139:2019 Electrical installations – Safety of battery systems for use with power conversion equipment
• AS/NZS 3008.1.1:2017 Electrical installations – Selection of cables
• AS 2067:2016 Substations and high voltage installations exceeding 1 kV a.c.
• AS/NZS ISO 45001:2018 Occupational health and safety management systems
• AS 1851:2012 Routine service of fire protection systems and equipment
• Relevant network service provider (DNSP) service and installation rules for grid connection of distributed energy resources
• Safe Work Australia – Managing Electrical Risks in the Workplace Code of Practice
• Safe Work Australia – Managing the Work Environment and Facilities Code of Practice
• State and territory electrical safety legislation and guidelines (e.g. Electrical Safety Act and Regulations in QLD, NSW, etc.)